Colthurst Crescent, N4

Image: © Mike Quinn Taken: 18 Jun 2015

See Image Edmund Colthurst was probably the true originator of the New River, in about 1600. He had put his plans to bring spring water from Hertfordshire to London, using the route that the New River eventually followed, before Queen Elizabeth, but she died in March 1603 without have granted the charter he needed. Colthurst renewed his application to her successor, James I, who granted him a charter in April 1604. Colthurst subsequently obtained the agreement of many of the major landowners through whose grounds the aqueduct would pass, and by early 1605 he claimed to have completed three miles of the work. It was four years and two Acts of Parliament later, in March 1609, that the City of London accepted Hugh Myddleton’s offer to carry out the work. Colthurst was involved with the construction works until his death in 1616.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0